Hydraulic turbine



June 8, 1937. I w. M. WHITE HYDRAULIC TURBINE Filed Sept. 25, 1955 15 tion of the turbine when the turbine is producing sidered. Such locking has been known to tear 5 Patented June 8, 1937 i a UNITE STATES PATENT F 2,082,927 HYDRAULIC TURBINE William M. White, Milwaukee, Wis. Application September 23, 1935, Serial No. 41,732 11 Claims. (01. 253-117 This invention relates to improvements in hy- The runner however is unable to dissipate the draulic turbines of the reaction type and. more heat produced therein at the same rate as is posparticularly to means for securing proper coolsible for the casing and. the runner therefore mg and lubrication of the portions of the turbine, expands at a greater rate than the. rate of exstructurewhich rotate relative to each other at pansion of the casing unless suitable means are small clearances. provided to cool the portions of the turbine in Hydraulic turbines of the reaction type are which the heat is generated. The final result made with as small clearances as is practical beis that the clearanc'ebetween the rotating and tween the runner and the stationary portions stationary members is reduced and that the adjaadjacent the runner and forming the casing. cent portions finally lock together. The effect of 10 Such clearances are usually of the order of 3 2' such locking will be readily appreciated when the to inch to thereby diminish'leakage of water flywheel effect of the rotating parts of the turbine through such spaces and thus to increase the and of the generator and thelinear peripheral efficiency of the turbine; During normal operaspeed ,of the runner relative to the stator is conpower, such spaces are filled with water under strips out of the steel castings of which the pressure which lubricates and cools the surfaces turbine is usually constructed. The spaces beof the adjacent portions. As long as the turbine tween the rotating and stationary portions of a is new and the bearings are in good condition turbine should therefore be cooled and lubricated and in exact adjustment, the clearances are by some means operating automatically in rei maintained and the adjacent portions should sponse either to closure of the turbine gate or to not come into contact even when no water is closure of the shutoff device in'the penstock. passing through the turbine. It has been found 1 It is therefore among the objects of the present however that such exact adjustment is practically invention to provide means for cooling and lubriimpossible to obtain and that the adjacent sureating the small clearance spaces between the 25 faces contact with each other thus causing fricrotating and stationary portions of a hydraulic tion which produces heat which expands the turbine when the turbine is rotating without different portions of the turbine. It is possible producing power.

therefore and has frequently happened that the Anotherobject of the invention is to provide 90 adjacent surfaces of the rotating and stationary for the supply of water between the-wearing rings portions seize and cause damage thereto. of a hydraulic turbine when the operating supply Rotation of the turbine by the generator with to the turbine is fully or partially shut off. no water passing through the turbine is also Another object ,of the invention is to provide frequently desired in extensive power systems to means for cooling and lubricating the closely utilize the inductive capacity of the generator as a adjacent rotating and stationary portions of a 35 synchronous condenser for the purpose of improvhydraulic turbine automatically upon complete ing the power factor of the power transmission closure of the pipe line supplying water thereto. line. When the generator is operated as a Objects and advantages other than those above synchronous condenser, the turbine gates are set forth will be apparent from the following 4 closed and it is usually required that the shutoff description when read in connection with the 40 means in the penstock also be closed to avoid accompanying drawing, in which: j wastage of water and to prevent the accumula- Fig. 1 is a partial topplan view of a hydraulic tion of a mass of water in the turbine which is turbine of the reaction type, partially illustratmerely whirled around therein and thus reduces ing the spiral casing thereof and illustrating a r the effectiveness of the generator as a ynch oconnection with such casing by which water is nous o e e taken therefrom for supplying the close clearance Even when the turbine is new and particularly aces of the turbine; I when the turbine is acting as a synchronous Fig. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view of a condenser, when no water is passing through the hydraulic turbine provided with means for autoturbine, contact is frequently established between matically supplying water between closely adjathe adjacent portions thereof as above stated cent rotating and stationary portions of the turand heating due to friction begins. Due to the bine, from the spiral casing thereof upon closure greater mass of the casing portion, the heat is of the gates controlling the supply of operating conducted away from the stationary portions at water to the turbine; and such rate as to minimize the expansion thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the 13 are mounted on stems I4. The vanes l3 are operable by means to be hereinafter described, to be adjusted to control or to shut off the flow of fluid from the spiral easing into the turbine. Thedischarge ring [5 is connected with a draft tube It of the turbine. The cover plate I2 is substantially annular and has a flange about the central aperture therethrough which forms a support for a ring l8 for shifting the position of the guide vanes forming the turbine gate andwhich also supports a bearing structure !9. The shifting ring I8 is connected through a link 2| and an arm 22 (see Fig. 1) with each gate vane l3 and is operated by servomotors 23 and 24 connected therewith as is well known. The cover plate 12 is preferably made double walled with apertures 26 in the bottom thereof and flanges 21 and '28, extending downward therefrom, both apertures and flanges being for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

A shaft 3i extends through the bearing 19 to connect the turbine motor with the driven mechanism (not shown). The turbine rotor shown is of the reaction type and accordingly comprises a substantially frusto-conical top plate 32 having blades 33 secured thereto or formed integral therewith as may be desired. The lower ends of the blades are connected by a discharge band 34. It will be seen in Fig. 3 that the inner periphery of both the cover plate I2 and the discharge ring l5 are preferably provided with special separate wearing rings 36 and 31 respectively which are preferably made in such manner as to be readily removable and replaceable. The runner top plate 32 and the discharge band 34 are also each provided with special wearing rings 38 and 39 respectively. Due to the provision of such special rings, the material of the rings may be chosen for any desired characteristics and need not have the same properties as the material of which the remainder of the turbine is made.

The spiral casing II is connected through a valve, to be specifically described hereinafter, with the space Within the double walls of I the cover plate l2 by way of conduit 4|. Such space is likewise connected by conduit 42 with a header 43 arranged below the discharge ring Hi. It will thus be seen that the cover plate performs the function of a conduit connecting conduits 4| and 52 to provide a continuous passageway for the water from the spiral casing to the spaces between the portions of the turbine to be cooled and lubricated. It will be understood that the conduit M is actually to be connected with the penstock beyond the usual shut off means therein (not shown) to insure a source of water supply even when the spiral casing is drained, the connection with the spiral casing being shown herein merely for purposes of explanation of the operation of the invention disclosed. The header 43 is connected at a plurality of points such as 46, 4? etc.. with passageways 48, 49 etc; extending through the speed ring and connecting with the space between the wearing rings 37 and 38. Flow of fluid through conduits M and 62 is controlled by a valve which comprises a casing 5| containing a valve member 52 urged against its seat by a spring 53. The stem 54 of the valve 52 extends outside of casing 5i and carries a roller 56 and the roller engages a cam 57 mounted upon and operable with the shifting ring E8. The degree of opening of the valve is directly dependent on the curve of the cam which may be designed to keep the valve open as long as the quantity of water passing through the turbine, when in operation, is not SllfilClEIll, to provide adequate cooling and lubrication of the closely adjacent portion of the turbine.

When the turbine is in operation with the gate open, the shifting ring I8 is in such position that the cam 57 is out of contact with the roller 56. The spring 53 then forces the valve 52 on its seat and flow of water through the conduits il etc. isinterrupted. As soon as the turbine gate begins to close and the shifting ring 18 has therefore begun to rotate, the cam 51 is rocked into contact with roller 56. Continued closure of the gate forces the cam 5'1! against the roller 55 and opens the valve 52 against the compression of the spring 53 at a rate determined by the curvature of the cam. Water then flows through the conduit 4| into the double walled spaces inclosed by the cover plate 12. A portion of the water is discharged therefrom through the apertures 25 and flows between the rings 36 and 38 through the turbine. The remainder of the water flows from the cover plate through the conduit 62 into the header d3 from which it is distributed through connections 55, 41 etc. and passages 48, 49 etc. between the rings 3'! and 39 from which it is discharged into the draft tube. The turbine is thusprovided with means for supplying cooling and lubricating fluid between the close clearance spaces between the rotating and stationary portions of the turbine when the turbine is not in power producing operation and such means include means for controlling the flow of the cooling and lubricating fluid responsive to movement of a portion of the turbine structure movable in direct relation to the quantity of water flowing through the turbine.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a hydraulic turbine installation having adjacent rotating and stationary portions, a source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, means for controlling the connection of the turbine with said source, and means for connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent rotating and stationary portions of the turbine to supply hydraulic pressure to such spaces for cooling the several portions thereof and operable responsive to movement of the first said means to control connection of the second said means.

2. In a hydraulic turbine installation having closely adjacent rotating and stationary portions, a source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, movable vanes associated with the turbine and forming a gate for controlling the connection of the turbine with said source, means for connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent rotating and stationary portions of the turbine to supply hydraulic pressure to such spaces to cool and lubricate the several portions thereof, and means operable responsive to closing movement of said vanes to control connection of the first said means.

3. In a hydraulic turbine installation having closely adjacent rotating and stationary portions, a source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, means for controlling the connection of the turbine with said source, conduits for connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent rotating and stationary portions of the turbine to supply hydraulic pressure to such spaces to cool and lubricate the several portions thereof, and means operable responsiveonly to closing movement of the first said means to control connection of said conduits.

l. In a hydraulic turbine installation having adjacent rotating and stationary portions, a source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, means for controlling the connection of the turbine with said source, means for connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent rotating and stationary portions of the turbine to supply hydraulic pressure to such spaces to cool the several portions thereof, and a valve opened upon closing movement of the first said means to control the connection of the second said means.

5. In a hydraulic turbine installation having adjacent rotating and stationary portions, a.

source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, means for controlling the connection of the turbine with said source, conduits for connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent rotating and stationary portions of the turbine to supply hydraulic pressure to such spaces to cool the several portions thereof, and a valve opened only upon closing movement of said means to control connection of said conduits.

.6. In a hydraulic turbine installation having adjacent rotating and stationary portions, a source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, movable vanes associated with the turbine and forming a gate for controlling the connection of the turbine with said source, conduits for connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent rotating and stationary portions of the turbine to supply hydraulic pressure to such spaces to lubricate the several portions thereof, and a valve operable responsive only upon closing movement of said gate to control connection of said conduits.

7. In a hydraulic turbine installation having adjacent rotating and stationary portions, a source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, means for controlling the connection of the turbine with said source, means for connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent rotating and stationary portions of the turbine to supply hydraulic pressure to such spaces to cool the several portions thereof, a spring pressed valve biased in closed position and controlling the connection of the second said means, and means connecting said valve with the first said means to open said valve only when connection with said source of hydraulic pressure is being interrupted.

8. In a hydraulic turbine installation having closely adjacent rotating and stationary portions, a source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, means for controlling the connection of the turbine with said source, means for connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent rotating and stationary portions of the turbine to supply hydraulic pressure to such spaces to cool and lubricate the several portions thereof, a spring pressed valve biased in closed position and controlling the connection of the second said means, a roller mounted on the stem of said valve, a cam mounted on the first said means for operation thereby and engaging said roller to open said valve against the action of said spring only when connection with said source of hydraulic pressure is being interrupted.

9. In a hydraulic turbine installation having close clearances between adjacent rotating and stationary portions thereof, separate rings mounted on adjacent surfaces of the adjacent portions, a source of hydraulic pressure, means for controlling connection of the turbine with said source, means for connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent portions, and means operable responsive to movement of the first said means to control connection of the second said means.

10. In a hydraulic turbine installation having close clearances between adjacent rotating and stationary portions thereof, separate rings mounted on adjacent surfaces of the said adjacent portions, a source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, means for controlling connection of the turbine with said source, conduits connecting said source with the spaces between the adjacent portions, and a valve operable responsive to the movement of the first said means to control connection of said conduits.

11. In a hydraulic turbine installation having close clearances between adjacent rotating and stationary portions thereof, separate rings mounted on adjacent surfaces of the said adjacent portions, a source of hydraulic pressure supplying the turbine, means for controlling connection of the turbine with said source, conduits for connecting said source With the spaces between the said adjacent portions of the turbine, a spring pressed valve biased in closed position and controlling the connection of said conduits, and means operating said valve from the first said means to open said valve.

WILLIAM M. 

